For some, the high-pitched buzz of a mosquito has become even more sinister than usual. In Massachusetts, a coastal county called Plymouth has shut down its parks and fields between dusk and dawn in response to the town’s “high-risk status” of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a rare, but severely fatal mosquito-borne illness. It's also known as "triple E" or sleeping sickness and gets part of its name from the fact that it infects horses as well as humans.

According to a public health department press release, athletic leagues and other organizations utilizing public parks and fields will be prohibited from continuing outdoor activities beyond dusk. Signs have been placed at all public parks and fields to emphasize this message.

The move comes after health officials revealed that a man in his 80s was infected with EEE after being exposed in nearby Worcester County. Other individual cases have popped up in Vermont, Wisconsin and New Jersey, while in New Hampshire, an adult (who has not yet been identified) was hospitalized and died from EEE.

Related

“The risk from EEE is high in parts of Plymouth County and critical in parts of Worcester County,” Dr. Catherine M. Brown, a state epidemiologist, said in a press release. “In addition to recommending that people use mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered active ingredient and clothing to reduce exposed skin, we also recommend that evening outdoor events be rescheduled to avoid the hours between dusk and dawn.”

This is because mosquitoes most likely to spread EEE are most active during those hours, state health officials said. According to the Massachusetts Department of Health, EEE is a rare disease. Since it........

© Salon